The Third Power: How Symbolic Power Builds Peace

An olive tree and an almond tree side by side – Israel and Palestine, rooted in the same soil, reaching toward the same Sun

Hard and soft power dominate politics. But there is also symbolic power – the strength of acts and symbols that root values into our shared story. Peace Circle® shows how symbolic power can be cultivated, lived, and remembered. At Finland’s Ambassadors’ Conference, President Alexander Stubb spoke of three foundations of politics: values, interests, and power. Within power, he distinguished hard power – the ability to coerce – and soft power – the ability to persuade and attract. At Peace Circle®, we agree – but add that there is also a third form: symbolic power.

What is symbolic power?

Symbolic power is the ability to shape thinking and behavior through symbols, rituals, and values. Unlike hard or soft power, it doesn’t force or persuade – it creates shared meaning. Think of the Berlin Wall coming down, trees planted after wars, or a flag raised on independence day. These acts don’t just reflect change – they make it real.

From soft to symbolic

Peace Circle® works with soft power: it connects people through schools, culture, and nature. But it goes further. Soft power here becomes visible as symbolic power – something you can touch, see, and remember.

• Circles of trees form the peace symbol, planted not drawn.

• The Heart–Head–Hands framework turns compassion, wisdom, and responsibility into action.

• The Circle of Guardians honors peacebuilders and environmental heroes.

• The Tree of Justice reminds us that fairness must take root.

• The ABC for Peace play, music, and gatherings bring values to life.

• Global Peace Circle Day (21 Sept, UN Day of Peace) joins these symbols worldwide.

A child planting a tree is both soft power – inspiring and inclusive – and symbolic power – leaving a mark that speaks across generations.

Why it matters now

Hard power dominates headlines. Soft power is contested. But symbolic power is often overlooked – even though it’s what holds communities together when strategies fall short. Lasting peace needs symbols people can live with: like an olive tree and an almond tree, growing side by side under the same sun.

Planting the future

Peace Circle® shows how symbolic power can be cultivated. By combining education, culture, and nature with living symbols, peace becomes more than politics: it becomes part of memory and imagination.

Every tree, every circle, every song is a seed of symbolic power. Together they grow into a culture where peace is not only negotiated but also rooted, shared, and remembered. Join us on Global Peace Circle Day, 21 September, as communities worldwide plant trees and gather under the same Sun.